


One and Only

by Verai



Series: RDR2 tumblr Requests [5]
Category: Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)
Genre: Eventual Smut, F/M, Porn with Feelings, Possessive Arthur, Protective Arthur Morgan, Romance, Slow Burn, Tumblr Ask Box Fic, Virgin Reader
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-22
Updated: 2019-02-25
Packaged: 2019-11-04 04:03:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,766
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17891147
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Verai/pseuds/Verai
Summary: Orphaned at a young age, you grew up with the will to survive but not with all of the skills; you barely got by most of the time. When you’re in a situation beyond your control, the Van der Linde gang picks you up. You didn't intend to stay, but you found a reason to stick around. And that reason had soft blue eyes and the warmest hands.





	1. Starting Over

**Author's Note:**

> Got a lovely request from dva-xo on tumblr, which gave me a great excuse to write a nice romantic fic (as opposed to my usual dirty smut, haha!)... OH WAIT THERE’S SMUT HERE TOO OH NO

You woke up with your hands tied behind your back. Blearily looking around, you felt the rocking of the wagon and the muttering of the two men sitting at the driver’s & shotgun seats.

 

“Pretty good haul today. Ain’t no one gonna miss’em.”

 

“Should get five, maybe six hundred for these ones.”

 

You looked around you to see five other women with you, all tied up. Some were passed out, two were sobbing quietly. You tried to remain calm to remember what had happened. One moment you were walking down an alley, feeling damn good about the joker you had pickpocketed, the next moment, you had been knocked out. You felt the sore spot on your head where you had been hit, and winced when you tried to move your neck. Taking a deep breath, you looked up at the driver seat. The two men were just chatting away. Looking at the end of the wagon, you wondered if you could jump out before they noticed. You started edging towards the end.

 

“Don’t even think about it,” the shotgunner said as he pointed a pistol at you. “She tried, and she paid for it.” He pointed at one of the girls crying in the corner. You eyed her, and noted the blood on her lips and bruise forming on her jaw. Glaring back up at the man, you decided to wait for a better opportunity.

 

“Hmm, good eyes on that one. Might try her out first,” he said as he leered at you.

 

You suppressed a shudder as you turned away to look behind the wagon. You noted some  irregular movement in the trees, and instinctively ducked.

 

You heard the man’s body drop from the wagon, and the driver yelling, and gunfire, but mostly you heard women screaming and crying around you. When the thud of the driver’s body reached your ears, you dared to look up. You saw two riders coming up to the wagon, guns pointed up. No danger then.

 

But then you looked at the front of the wagon. The horses, spooked as they were, had galloped off the road and were careening towards the edge of what you hoped was a gentle hill. You didn’t want to wait and find out. Clambering over the rest of the women, you hauled half of yourself out onto the seat, rolled over slightly, and tried over and over to grab the reins with your hands tied behind your back. You didn't give up; you couldn't give up. When you finally grabbed it, you shut your eyes and pulled with all your might. 

 

As you felt the horses slow, you opened your eyes to see two men riding up to the wagon. They put away their weapons and got off their horses to walk closer. One man, with long black hair and a bow across his back, immediately went up to the back of the wagon and addressed the women.

 

“Is everyone okay?”

 

The deep timber of his voice was calm, steady, and you noted the other women nodding or murmuring a yes. You watched as he started cutting the women free from their bindings.

 

The other man came up to you, his clear blue eyes appraising you. You met his gaze with a steady one of your own. 

 

“You alright there?” he asked as he slowly walked up you.

 

“Been better,” you said, a bit out of breath, the adrenaline leaving your body.

 

“I’m gonna cut you free now,” he said as he pulled out his knife.

 

“Thank you,” you said as you caught a whiff of wild herbs and coffee. His hands felt warm when he held yours as he cut the rope at your wrists with precision. When you were free, you just took a moment to breathe before getting up and hopping out of the wagon. You only belatedly noticed that the man had been holding his hand out to you to help you down.

 

“Sorry,” you mumbled when you accidentally made eye contact with him again. 

 

“Nothin’ to be sorry about, miss.” He was still watching you as you started to check the wagon for your haversack. Finding it tucked under the driver seat, you threw it over your shoulder and looked at the other women. They were climbing back into the wagon, with the other man helping them in. One woman climbed up to the driver seat.

 

“You need a ride, honey?” she asked you in her Southern drawl.

 

“No thanks, ma’am. I was on my way out of town anyway.”

 

“Suit yourself.” She turned to the other women. “Ready to go home?”

 

The rest of the women cheered.

 

The other man helped the last woman back onto the wagon. “I’ll escort you ladies back. Arthur?”

 

Arthur turned to you. “You’re not goin’ with them?”

 

You shook your head. You needed some time to think of where you could go next.

 

“I’ll escort this one home. I’ll catch ya later, Charles.”

 

Charles nodded, got on his horse, and rode alongside the wagon. You watched them ride out of sight quietly, wondering when the man named Arthur would finally talk.

 

“So where you headed?”

 

You sighed. You didn’t want to go back to Saint Denis, even though pickpocketing was pretty profitable there. You were familiar enough with the lay of the land to know you were in the Heartlands, but you didn’t quite know where. You turned to Arthur. “Which way to Valentine?”

 

Arthur pointed down the road. “It’s a ways down that path. I can take you.”

 

“I’ll be fine,” you immediately responded. You looked up to see him eyeing you thoughtfully.

 

“What?” you asked, perhaps a bit harshly. You didn’t mean to sound that way, but you were tired and needed to recover from tonight’s shenanigans.

 

“I can’t let a lady walk all the way there alone at night. Wouldn’t be right,” he said quietly, almost as if he was saying to himself. “Please. Let me help.”

 

You nodded, too tired to argue. He helped you up onto his horse, and started the ride to Valentine.

 

He was quiet, letting you take in the night’s events. You were grateful for the silence; you had lived alone for so long, ever since your parents had passed seven years ago, that you had grown accustomed to the quiet; you even craved it when you were in the city. You could never stay in one place for too long; there was too much of the world to see, and your nomadic heart knew that it would take a miracle for you to stay put.

 

After your parents both succumbed to pneumonia during a harsh winter, you buried them in the spring of your 15th year and started to take care of the cabin. But you discovered after a few months of trying to survive in the mountains on your own, that you did need money, and even though you could hunt, gather wild fruit and herbs, and fish a bit, you wouldn’t make it like that forever. You packed up your meager belongings into your father’s haversack and left, never looking back. Wandering from town to town, pickpocketing when you could get away with it, hunting and selling small pelts, working as an errand runner every once in a while, you survived.

 

The gentle rocking of the horse was making it hard for you to stay awake. You jolted back to full wakefulness when you felt yourself slipping off.

 

“Need to rest?” Arthur asked, watching you with concern.

 

“I suppose I should, wouldn’t do to fall off and break my neck.”

 

“Wouldn’t do at all,” he rumbled, and you felt a twinge in your heart, hearing his voice deepen like that. He rode off the main road and up a small hill with a few trees. He got off his horse and held his hands out to you. This time you put your hands tentatively on his shoulders as he held you by the waist, helping you off. The heat from his hands warmed through your dress to your skin.

 

You sat down on the grass and leaned against a tree as Arthur hitched his horse and laid out his bedroll.

 

“Sorry if it’s a bit smelly, but it’ll be more comfortable than just dirt. I’ll keep watch.”

 

You turned to him, to gauge his sincerity. It would be so easy to take advantage of you, here and now, with no one else around. And yet you didn’t feel any danger. Your instincts had always been good; your parents had raised you to trust your gut feelings, especially since they were both hunters and had been damn good ones at that. You wish you had paid more attention to their lessons when you were younger. But at least you still had good intuition.

 

You felt no danger from this man. You could trust him. There was an earnestness in his eyes that very few people had. So you nodded at him and lay down on the bedroll. With the sounds of crickets chirping and Arthur’s horse quietly chewing on some grass nearby, you fell asleep, feeling strangely safe despite being with a stranger in a unfamiliar place.

 

***

 

_ Helped Charles save a wagon full of kidnapped women. I don’t normally take any pleasure in killing, but shooting those men felt right, like I was doing some good in the world. At least, that’s what I tell myself.  _

_ One lady wouldn’t go back with the others. I couldn’t let her go alone at night, so now I’m escorting her to Valentine. She’s asleep right now. I’m surprised she trusts me enough to sleep so deep.  _

 

Arthur closed his journal and looked down at the woman sleeping near him, feeling a surge of protectiveness run through his heart. He suppressed the impulse to brush the hair off her face.

 

“You fool,” he muttered to himself.

 

***

 

You woke up relatively well rested. You looked up to see Arthur dozing, sitting against the tree, his hand on the gun in his lap. You sat up and admired the colors of the pre-dawn sky. 

 

“You ready to go?” he asked. 

 

“Do you need to sleep too? I can keep watch for a few hours.”

 

Arthur shook his head. “I'll be fine.”

 

“I used the same line on you last night. Didn't work.”

 

Arthur chuckled and handed you his gun, handle first. “Fine, fine. You know how to use one of these things?” 

 

“Does a bear shit in the woods?” 

 

This time he laughed, a deep belly laugh that made you smile. 

 

“You're a funny one,” he said. “Alright. I'll just take a quick nap, then we can be on our way.”

 

You nodded and switched places with him. You hadn't meant to blurt out the phrase, but something about him put you at ease with speaking your thoughts without a filter. 

 

As he fell asleep, you looked at the gun he gave you. It was a cattleman revolver, well taken care of. You hefted it up and pointed it straight ahead. It was lighter than your father's Schofield that you carried in your haversack, easier to lift and aim. 

 

You weren't a great shot, but you could hit something, usually. Not bad, for not paying attention to your parents while they were hunting. You put the pistol down next to you within easy reach, pulled the journal out of your sack, and started drawing. It would make the time go by faster. 

 

A couple hours later, Arthur slowly sat up. You quickly closed your journal when he looked over at you, his eyes going straight to it. 

 

There was a moment where you thought he’d ask you about it, but he let it pass. He got up and put the bedroll away while you put your journal away. He climbed up on his horse and you handed him back his gun, handle first. He looked at it for a moment.

 

“You can hold onto it, for protection while we’re riding.”

 

You pulled out your Schofield. “I got one.”

 

He chuckled and took his own gun back, then he effortlessly pulled you up. Then away you went, towards Valentine. The steady canter of his horse was good background noise for your thinking, and once again, Arthur let you have your quiet. You didn’t really have a plan beyond finding some quick work, and failing that, picking some pockets and heading to the next town.

 

“You got somewhere to stay?”

 

Arthur’s question broke your reverie. “No,” you replied. “I’ll figure something out.”

 

“Why don’t you stay with us? Got a little camp nearby. If you pitch in and do your share, you got a place to stay, and people to watch your back. Until you figure something out.”

 

You were quiet, contemplating the offer.

 

“We still have a half a day’s ride, you can answer me when you’ve thought about it.”

 

“Alright,” you mumbled, and considered the pros and cons.

 

***

 

_ Dammit Morgan, why’d you do that _ , Arthur thought to himself.  _ I can’t leave her alone, can I? _

 

***

 

Valentine was on the horizon. And you had made your decision.

 

“I think I’ll stay with you.”

 

You said it so softly that Arthur wasn’t sure he heard you right. “You will?”

 

“Yes.”

 

He gave you a warm smile. “Okay then. Let’s go.” He turned his horse around and galloped to Horseshoe Overlook.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, okay, smut will be in chapter 4. But until then... UST!


	2. Ever Closer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Over the course of a few weeks, you and Arthur grow closer and closer. He's the best friend you've ever had, but after asking him one question, he gets a little strange.

Over the following weeks, as you grew accustomed to being with the gang and getting to know everyone, Arthur would keep checking in with you, making sure you were okay. He seemed to know when you needed time alone and would take you on a fishing trip at least once every few days. He would fish quietly with you, let you lead any conversations, or just let you think.

 

You tried to be sociable with everyone, but it wasn’t in your nature. Talking with others was just so tiring sometimes, and you never had much to say beyond the usual pleasantries. You had quickly found ways to recover; washing clothes, offering to get water from the river, any job that would take you away from the camp. You liked the women; Karen and Mary-Beth were nice but almost too chatty for you. Tilly was sweet and she didn’t talk your ear off, which was a plus. Abigail was always busy with Jack, and the air around Sadie was always so sad that you found it hard to approach her. Miss Grimshaw was strict, but she had a soft spot for you, who worked hard and didn’t mouth off like the others.

 

As for the men, well, in the beginning they talked to you a lot. But as the days went by, they all started to let you alone for the most part, once they realized you didn’t talk much. You didn’t flirt, you didn’t offer any information about yourself beyond simple answers, and you soon realized that if any of them tried to get closer than an arm’s span to you, Arthur would appear out of nowhere and tell them to get to work. Lately though, he just glared at them until they backed off.

 

During the first week, Arthur took you out for shooting practice, to see your skills. After realizing that you knew little more than the basics, he insisted on taking you out for practice every time he had a free hour. You enjoyed the time with him more than you cared to admit.

 

***

 

One night, after being with the gang for two weeks, Arthur came to you with a rifle and a grin.

 

“You got some energy? We’re gonna practice your night shooting.”

 

You had just finished helping Pearson clean the stew pot, so you nodded. “Sure, where are we going?”

 

He took you out into the Heartlands, where you could see the river of stars and the moon shining brightly on the landscape. Setting up a few bottles, he handed you a slightly used rifle. 

 

“Got this for you. So you can go hunting with me some time.”

 

“Thank you. I'll not ask where you got this from,” you joked. 

 

“They won't need it anyway,” he said with a short laugh. 

 

As you raised the rifle to shoot, you felt Arthur step behind you; feeling the heat from his body against your back, you swallowed as he gently placed his hands on your shoulders. 

 

“Stand up straight,” he said in low voice. “Angle your arm like this.” One hand moved down your shoulder to your elbow, his fingers tracing down your arm as he moved you into the correct position.

 

His other hand slid down from your shoulder to your back, his fingers splayed out against you. “Breathe in and aim, breathe out and shoot.”

 

You did as he said, and you could hear the bullet hit the rock below the bottle. 

 

“Close. Aim a little higher.” He leaned in so his face was close to yours so he could get a better view of where you were aiming. You raised the barrel a bit more, took a deep breath, and fired again. And again. And  _ again _ . 

 

Ten times later, you heard the clink of broken glass. 

 

“I got one!” you said excitedly. 

 

Arthur chuckled and stepped back from you. “Good girl. Now just five more.”

 

You stared out into the darkness to see the other five bottles, and they were smaller than the one you had managed to hit. You sighed and kept practicing. 

 

***

 

_ Took her out shooting last night. Her form needed help, so I told myself. Truth was I just wanted to be with her, and used any excuse to do so. _

 

_ I couldn't stop touching her at first. But she didn't pull away, so I had to. I need to control myself, before I become unable to stop. Susan would kill me if she knew. Weren't proper.  _

 

***

 

One day during the third week, you sat under the shade of a tree, drawing a deer drinking at the river. You were so focused on your drawing, that you had not noticed anyone around you until you heard a voice over your shoulder, almost in your ear.

 

“Nice drawing.”

 

You yelped, and the deer immediately bounded away. You sighed and turned to Arthur. “Dammit, I was almost done.”

 

He looked at your drawing. After a few moments, you started to get self-conscious and moved to close your journal. But as you tried, his hands enclosed around yours and kept your page open so he could examine your deer sketch. You could feel his breath on your neck, and his arms around you felt warm and inviting. You leaned back against him a little bit, testing the waters. He didn’t move away. If anything, you thought he may have moved a bit closer to you.

 

Arthur finally hummed approvingly. “I think your drawing is done. Looks good.”

 

You smiled and turned your head slightly to look at him, but he was much closer than you thought. Accidentally bumping his head, you whispered an apology. 

 

He nuzzled your cheek and whispered, “S’okay.” He stayed where he was for one breath-taking moment.

 

And then he let go and stepped away from you. 

 

“You coming back to camp soon? I was thinking we might go get you a horse.”

 

Your disappointment at not having his warmth near you anymore was quickly replaced by the excitement of getting a horse. “Really? Where?”

 

“There’s a small herd of wild horses up north of Valentine. Was comin’ back from a job, saw them there.”

 

You grinned like an idiot. You couldn’t wait. “When do we go?”

 

“Whenever you’re ready.”

 

“I’ll go pack!” You barely finished your reply before you raced back to camp to pack up your bag.

 

***

 

_ Her smile was like a sunrise, when I told her about getting her a horse. I’m glad I didn’t act upon my baser urges when she was in my arms. But it was a damn close thing. She smelled fresh, like wildflowers and honey, and I wanted nothing more than to kiss her. But I shouldn’t. She’s too pure for the likes of me. _

 

***

 

You and Arthur rode on his horse, Rhea, through the plains and up along a ridge, the two hour trip not feeling that long with the companionable silence the two of you shared.

 

When you caught sight of the horses, you pointed them out to Arthur. He steered Rhea towards the herd, and together, the two of you managed to capture a beautiful blue roan. You named him Starshine, for the bright white star on his forehead, and the fact that by the time you had finally tamed him, the stars were shining in the night sky.

 

“It’s a bit too late to head back to camp,” Arthur said, looking up at the sky. “Maybe we should camp out here.”

 

“But it was only two hours.”

 

“We’ve wandered pretty far from where we first started.”

 

You looked around and realized that indeed, you were so far north from Cattail Pond that you couldn’t see it anymore. “Oh.”

 

Arthur was already trotting away on Rhea, looking for a good camping spot. You followed on Starshine, petting him and murmuring in his ear how pretty he was, what a good boy he was, and you were sure Starshine was practically preening by the time you caught up to Arthur. He had found a spot that was perfectly surrounded by trees, but with enough clear, flat ground to set up a tent and a campfire. He pointed out the river that was close by too, in case you wanted to bathe in the morning.

 

“Uh, not that I’m saying you’re dirty or nothin’, just, if you wanted to.” Arthur quickly added.

 

You laughed. He could be so awkward sometimes, and you found that endearing. Over the past few weeks, you had noted that he was a little bashful around you compared to the other women. Maybe it was because you were new, and the other women had been around him for years. Maybe he’d be more open with you later, once he had gotten to know you better.

 

That thought made you pause. You were subconsciously already planning on staying long term. You hadn’t stayed anywhere for longer than a month. And you were already thinking about staying for a year, maybe more. As you watched Arthur stoke the campfire, you wondered about your evolving plans. One thing was for certain: a blue-eyed cowboy was at the center of them.

 

He rolled out two bedrolls, one inside the tent, and one outside of it. He gestured at the tent. “You can stay in there, I’ll stay out here.”

 

“You sure? It’s your tent. And it ain’t that cold, I could sleep outside.”

 

“My lady deserves the best I can offer,” he said.

 

You blushed, and hoped the darkness kept him from seeing it. “Sure, thank you.”

 

***

 

_ I called her ‘my lady’ out of habit. I hadn't meant to say it, she isn’t used to the way I speak like the other women in camp. But seeing her blush was worth it.  _

 

***

 

Four weeks after you had joined the gang, you were trusted enough to wander off for a day or two at a time, taking your horse to travel around and work delivery jobs or pickpocketing in the city. And if Arthur caught you before you headed out to the city, he always made sure your gun was in proper order, and told you that if you didn't come back by the following morning, he'd come find you.

 

You were well aware of the work that the others did, but Arthur kept you off those jobs. So one day, when he came to you, you expected another fishing or hunting trip. Instead, he asked if you wanted to come rob a homestead that night with him.

 

“You’ve got good instincts, figure you could help me find the stash quicker.”

 

You agreed, and later that night, after a few harrowing close calls, the two of you managed to get in and get out of the house with little incident, finding a decent stash. With your earnings, you decided to go to town the next day and get yourself a new dress, since your one dress was beginning to look very ragged, despite all your best attempts to sew all the tears. And you knew that as much as you liked your blouse and breeches, it wasn’t quite common enough that you wouldn't draw undue amounts of attention.

 

So the next afternoon, after you had finished all your chores, you got your old dress on and went to your horse.

 

“Where you goin’?”

 

You turned to see Arthur with his hands on his gun belt. 

 

“Just to Valentine, get a new dress that doesn't look like rags.”

 

“I'll go with you,” he said immediately, walking towards Rhea. 

 

“You don't have to,” you started to say, but he gave you that stubborn look that you had to come to call the ‘it's happening’ scowl. Sighing, you climbed up on Starshine and started towards Valentine, with Arthur following close behind.

 

In town, you hitched your horse and walked towards the general store.

 

“I’ll be in the gunsmith. Wait for me in front of the general store?”

 

“Sure,” you said, and headed in. You decided on a blouse and skirt instead of a full dress; it gave you more options, and you liked the idea of this light blue blouse with your dark brown breeches. As you shopped, you noticed one of the men in the shop looking over at you. You ducked your head, paid for your items and left the store.

 

“Miss?”

 

You turned to look at the man. He looked like he was about your age. “Yes?”

 

“I haven’t seen you around here before. I’d remember such a pretty face.”

 

“Just came to town,” you easily lied.

 

“Oh? Well, if you ever need anything, you can ask me. I’m Rupert, by the way.”

 

“Anna,” you said, giving him your fake name that you used when you had to give one.

 

“I work here at the store, so if you ever need anything delivered, I can help you with that too.”

 

“Oh.” Then you thought of something. “Does the shop ever need additional errand runners? I’m looking for some light work that I could do to help the family.”

 

Rupert smiled. “Why yes, sometimes we do.” He stepped a bit closer to you. “I’d be happy to have you help me with the deliveries that are farther away, that’d make the time pass faster.”

 

You nodded and smiled back. “Sounds good, I’ll come by some time once I’m settled in.”

 

He took another half step closer, and you felt a bit uncomfortable with how close he was getting. You took a step back.

 

Noting your shyness, he also leaned back. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to crowd you. Would you like to join me for a drink? Just to get to know each other. As friends.”

 

You looked at him. He had a cute dimple when he smiled, bright brown eyes, and an sweet smile. He seemed like he’d be a good friend.

 

“There you are.”

 

You turned to see Arthur walking up towards you. His eyes went from yours to rest on Rupert. 

 

“Who’s this?” he said, his voice deepening as he stopped next to you. His arm snaked around your shoulders and pulled you closer to him.

 

“Rupert, sir,” he said, standing up a little straighter. Then he looked at you. “Older brother?”

 

You laughed, unable to contain yourself. “No, family friend,” you lied. “Almost like an older brother.”

 

Rupert smiled, looking a little relieved, until Arthur glared at him. “Well, nice to meet you, sir.” He turned back to you. “Hope to see you around, Anna.” He quickly stepped back into the store.

 

Arthur pulled you away from the store, perhaps a bit rougher than normal. Without being asked, he helped you up on your horse, and then climbed up on his. The two of you rode out of town in silence, and for once, the quiet was uncomfortable.

 

“Arthur?”

 

He stopped. You pulled up next to him and looked at him, even though he was trying to hide his expression under his hat.

 

“What’s on your mind?”

 

After a long sigh, Arthur looked up at you. “Do you know what he was doing?”

 

“Who, Rupert?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Talking to me?”

 

Arthur sighed again. “He was trying to sleep with you.”

 

You blinked. That couldn’t be. He seemed so friendly, and you didn’t have a bad feeling about him. You knew sleaze bags, and he didn’t seem like one.

 

“Well, maybe not right away,” he continued. “But that was definitely his goal.”

 

“How do you know?”

 

“Because I’m a man, and I saw how he was lookin’ at you.”

 

“How am I supposed to know that?”

 

“It ain’t obvious?” His voice went up an octave, his tone incredulous.

 

“I…” You took a deep breath. “I lived alone for so long, and I don’t have any experience speaking with men outside of my family. So no, I don’t think it’s obvious.”

 

Arthur looked down, chastised. “Oh. Well. Just don’t talk to strange men, then.”

 

“It’s not like I go out looking to do that. Sometimes it just happens. Like today.” Then you suddenly had an idea. And you trusted Arthur. 

 

“You could teach me.”

 

“What?” His voice went up even higher than before.

 

“Teach me about men, so I know what to look for when one of them talks to me looking for something more.”

 

He sputtered.

 

“Or I can learn on my own,” you said.

 

“No, no, no. I’ll teach you,” he said begrudgingly. “I don’t want you askin’ anyone else. And this is just between us. Don’t tell no one else about this.”

 

“Yes, sir,” you said jokingly.

 

He gave you the most inscrutable look after you said that, and your laughter died away before it could leave your mouth. Instead, you felt like your insides had caught on fire at his intense gaze. Arthur finally turned and cantered away, and you urged Starshine to follow. The silence between you now was not uncomfortable, but it was tense. Like you had just asked a wolf to come to supper.

 

***

 

_ She asked me to teach her about men. And I agreed, like an idiot. But the thought of any other man with her, it boils my blood. _

 

_ And when she said “Yes Sir” to me? Felt like I was going to lose it then and there. Couldn't think straight, I just stared at her with all these improper thoughts in my head.  _

 

_ What the  _ _ hell _ _ am I going to do? _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do intense looks from Arthur make you hot?


	3. Falling Further

The next day, Arthur came to you first thing in the morning.

 

“You up for doing some bounty hunting?”

 

By now, you were a pretty good shot, and he must have sensed that you were ready for bigger challenges. Since bounty hunting wasn’t illegal, you felt a bit better about it. 

 

“Sure,” you replied. “Who we catchin’?”

 

“I'll tell you on the way. We'll be gone a couple of days, go pack and meet me at your horse.”

 

You went to go pack for the trip, and wondered if he was just going to ignore your request from last night. For now, you’d let it pass; there was money to be made, jobs to be done.

 

As you and he rode out, he explained everything. Mostly you’d be his back up, safely far enough away with the rolling block rifle, covering him as he chased his quarry. You were okay with this, as he had told you that the bounty was the leader of a group that had done some human trafficking, so you were more than ready to play executioner. It’d be a day’s ride out, and you would camp nearby until late night and surprise the group. Was supposed to be only four or five men, and you only needed the leader alive. Seemed simple enough.

 

The ride was pleasant, if not a little bit tense because this was your first bounty mission. You were comforted by the fact that Arthur had a lot of experience. But you wanted to prove yourself to be a good ally, not just a hanger-on. And with all the night shooting practice you had done recently, you felt like you could do this. You weren’t afraid, not at all. You just ignored the slight shaking of your hands when you finally got to the spot where you and Arthur would wait.

 

As you took a deep breath and started to pull your bedroll off your horse, Arthur's arms encircled you, and he held your hands in his. 

 

“You gonna be alright? Don't push yourself if you ain't ready.”

 

“I'm ready,” you said, determined. “Bastards like that deserve everything that's comin’ to them.”

 

He held you for another moment before letting you and patting you on the shoulder. “Okay, sweetheart. You let me know when it gets to be too much, alright?”

 

You nodded, and the two of you set up camp to wait until midnight. You didn't want to dwell too long on him calling you ‘sweetheart’, but it kept ringing in your head all the same.

 

***

 

_ I may regret taking her bounty hunting with me. But she's got to learn sometime. Been training her for this, even though she may not have realized it. I want her to be able to take care of herself, in case I ain't around. I can't bear the thought of her getting hurt.  _

 

***

 

You were awake before Arthur, making sure the rifle was ready and you had all your gear. You were wired and raring to go. Quietly the two of you walked the remaining mile and a half to find the four men asleep, with one man on watch. 

 

You went up onto the hill nearby, hunkered down, and gave Arthur the okay, and he snuck down and waited for you to snipe the guard. 

 

One down. Arthur took out one more before they woke up, and you shot another one in the stomach after a few tries. The leader fled, with Arthur giving chase. You watched them go, knowing that he'd catch him, so you got up and dusted yourself off. 

 

A tingling in the back of your neck alerted you, and you quickly rolled and ducked behind a rock. Dust flew from where you had been, and you peeked around to see someone running up the hill. 

 

“I seent ya, where ya hidin’?” the man screamed as he charged up towards you. Dropping the rifle, you pulled out your Schofield and blind fired down the hill. 

 

“Ow!” 

 

You peered out. 

 

A searing pain burned your upper arm and you quickly pulled yourself back fully behind the rock. Looking at the wound, you were relieved it was just a graze and not a bullet in your arm. But it hurt like hell, and it was your shooting arm too. 

 

You could hear the man's footsteps getting closer. Clutching your gun, you waited. 

 

When he appeared around your rock, you fired, straight into his face at point blank. Blood splattered on you and the body fell back with a final thud. 

 

You started breathing again. In shock, you slowly stood up and made your way back to your horse. After a while, you faintly heard someone calling your name. You turned to see Arthur, carrying his bounty over his shoulder, jogging up to you. 

 

“You were supposed to wait for me–”

 

He froze when he got close enough and saw the blood on your arm and on your face. 

 

“I'm fine,” you mumbled. “Shot a man in the head, after he shot my arm. Just a graze,” you added so he wouldn't worry. You turned back and started walking again. “C'mon, we need to get him back for the bounty, right?” 

 

Arthur followed you quietly, letting you process your thoughts. You were thankful for that. He understood you on a level that no one else had, not even your parents. 

 

The rest of the walk was uneventful. You and he mounted your horses and rode to Strawberry as dawn broke, and turned in the bounty. The sheriff was elated and gave you an extra ten bucks for being so fast. Once the two of you left his office, Arthur immediately turned to you. 

 

“We gotta look at that wound,” he said. “C'mon, let's get out of town, I can take care of you then.”

 

The two of you rode out of town and north, until you reached a secluded spot near a stream. The water was clear and crisp as you splashed your face clean. Arthur was already pulling out wound dressings and some whiskey from his saddle bag. 

 

“Um, I'll need to, uh…” he trailed off as he looked at your wound. It too high on your arm for you to just roll up your sleeve.

 

“It's alright,” you said as you unbuttoned your blouse. You smiled when you saw him turn away from you. Carefully you started to peel the cloth from your wound, the blood congealed and sticking to your skin. You winced and hissed as you pulled the sleeve away from you. 

 

In an instant, Arthur was there, helping you move the sleeve off your arm. He looked at the graze with such a pained look in his eyes that you had to comfort him. 

 

“It doesn't hurt, just stings a bit.”

 

He looked up at you. He slowly reached out to cradle your face, his thumb stroking your cheek. “Sweetheart…” 

 

You leaned into his touch. “I'm fine, Arthur.”

 

He sighed. You held out your arm and nodded your head at the whiskey. “Do it.”

 

He poured the liquid into your wound, and it stung and burned, but you just grit your teeth and let him clean you up and wrap the wound dressing around your arm. He worked with an expertise that you knew came from too many experiences of getting hurt, and you wondered, if you saw his body, how many scars you'd see. You flushed and looked away, as you thought of kissing each scar and asking for the story of each one. 

 

“You alright?” 

 

“Yeah, just peachy.”

 

Arthur tilted his head to look at you, while you glanced back at him and looked away again. You suddenly felt painfully shy. 

 

“You can put your shirt back on,” he said, mistaking the reason for your shyness. He got up and put his stuff back in his saddle bag to give you some space. 

 

Once you were buttoned up, you got up and walked towards him. 

 

“When are you gonna teach me?” 

 

“About what?” 

 

You stayed silent until he finally turned from his horse. 

 

“I… I need time to think about it,” he finally said, not looking you in the eyes. 

 

“You said you would.”

 

“I know. I just…” He trailed off, letting a silence hang for so long that you felt a bit bad for him. What was so tough about this? 

 

“Let's go back to camp. You can think about it on the way.”

 

***

 

_ I think I love her. I'm a damned fool.  _

 

***

 

Returning to camp, a few days passed, with Arthur off doing whatever Dutch told him to do, so he hardly saw you. Which was fine by you, since you were a bit annoyed with him. What was so hard about teaching you about men?

 

Finally, it looked like Arthur had gathered his thoughts, because he came up to you, his rifle already on his back. 

 

“You want to go hunting? A few days up in the Grizzlies?” 

 

You stared at him, trying to gauge whether this was just a hunting trip, or something more. He shifted his weight as he waited for you to speak. 

 

“Okay,” you finally said. “I'll get my things.”

 

***

 

The trip up through the forest was peaceful, but a little cold. The two of you spent the first day tracking some elk, but with no luck. You managed to get a rabbit for dinner, and as the sky darkened and the moonlight shone on the trees above, you hummed a melody while you watched Arthur cook the rabbit.

 

“You got a nice voice,” Arthur said absentmindedly as he handed you some perfectly cooked rabbit. It smelled of oregano, and you dug in happily.

 

“Thanks,” you said between mouthfuls.

 

After dinner, you scooted closer to Arthur, watching him cook herbs for tonics.

 

“How do you know how much to put in?”

 

“Practice,” he said.

 

You moved even closer, kneeling next to him so you were shoulder to shoulder.

 

“So…”

 

Arthur heaved the heaviest sigh you had heard. “Fine. Ask away.”

 

“What do I look for when a man wants to… have relations with me?”

 

He didn’t answer at first, putting his tonic making supplies away. Then he sat down and looked into the fire.

 

“Well, he’ll probably look at you, full eye contact. He might look at your, uh, all of you, I guess.”

 

You noted how awkwardly he was speaking. “Is it really that hard to tell me?”

 

He shrugged. “It’s hard to explain.”

 

“Then show me.”

 

He became as still as a statue.

 

You got the feeling that he really didn’t want to do this, even though he said he’d help you, even though he forbade you from asking anyone else for help on this topic. Maybe you’d secretly ask Javier or Sean back at camp, they were friendly enough with you, and seemed like they were more open to speaking about such things.

 

Your train of thought got thoroughly derailed when Arthur suddenly looked up and gave you an intense stare. He touched your hand, then trailed his fingers up your arm and shoulder, finally wrapping his hand behind your neck. He pulled you close to his face, and you looked up at him, your heart beating wildly.

 

“Tell me sweetheart,” he breathed, “How do I look to you right now?”

 

“Like you want to eat me up,” you answered without thinking.

 

“That’s how you can tell when a man wants you,” he said, his voice low. “Little rabbits like you can fall prey to big bad wolves so easily.” His lips brushed yours. “I thought you had good instincts.”

 

“I do.”

 

“What do you think is going to happen now?”

 

You couldn’t think past the way he was kissing your cheek and nuzzling your ear.

 

“I asked you a question.”

 

You blinked a couple of times before finally answering. “Kissing?”

 

He chuckled. “That all?” He ran his fingers gently through your hair, then caressed the column of your neck. His fingers kept moving south, to the buttons of your blouse. “So innocent.”

 

You saw something in his eyes, like he was warring with himself: Arthur, the man, versus Arthur, the friend. But you noted the change when the man won. His eyes got darker and he looked hungry for you.

 

“You really want to know what a man does with a woman he wants?”

 

“Yes,” you said quietly. 

 

“You trust me?”

 

You heard the unspoken question behind this one. There was no turning back after this. You were ready, if it was with Arthur.

 

“Yes.”

 

He finally leaned in and took your lips, slowly at first, and as you clumsily responded, he took your hand and placed it on his chest. You felt his hard muscles, the heat permeating through his shirt, and the steady beat of his heart. A tentative touch of his tongue on your lips made you pull back.

 

“Too much?” he asked, grinning like he had gotten away with something naughty.

 

“No, I just…”

 

“Wasn’t expecting that?” He leaned in, chasing after you. “Open your lips for me, sweetheart.” 

 

And he kissed you again, this time holding your chin in his hand and invading you with his tongue. You drowned in the sensation of his tongue against yours, his lips moving on your skin, his teeth nipping at your lower lip. His other arm had pulled you into his lap, and you ended up sitting on his thigh as he held you close, his hand stroking the curve of your hip and waist, then circling the small of your back. Warmth blossomed from somewhere low in your body, and you writhed in his embrace.

 

You’re not sure how long it was before he finally let you up to breathe. Maybe it was a minute. Maybe it was an hour. All you knew was that while you were catching your breath, you wanted more, so much more.

 

Arthur smiled at you, and you saw his eyes change back to the friend you knew.

 

“That’s probably enough for tonight,” he said, sounding a bit breathless. “I’ll teach you more tomorrow.”

 

You nodded. He let you crawl into his tent, since you didn’t have one yet, while he slept under the stars. Your heart never did stop beating so hard, not until you started to fall asleep.

 

***

 

_ Now I’ve done it. But I don’t regret a thing. _


	4. Always Yours

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur makes good on his promise to teach you about men.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SMUT AHOY.

The next day, you felt a bit restless as the two of you continued to hunt for the big elk that was supposedly in this area. You managed to see the elk this time, so that was something. But by the time you had seen it, it had seen you, and was bounding away into the sunset. Sighing, you looked over at Arthur, who just shook his head. It was too far to begin with, and now it was running even further. You were getting closer though. And you had a feeling that tomorrow would be a better day. 

 

You shot a duck for dinner this time, and it was enough for tomorrow’s meal as well. Arthur hung up the rest of the meat to cool as night fell, and you took your turn cooking. The two of you ate in companionable silence, having chatted throughout the day about hunting, your respective parents, and where you had lived before he met you. Not that you two hadn’t spoken about such topics before, but there were always random little facts and short stories that the two of you hadn’t shared yet. 

 

After cleaning up, you looked shyly at Arthur, who was sitting at the campfire, whittling at some wood. When he didn't say anything, you sighed and started to crawl into the tent. You lay down and was about to call out good night when you saw him get up and come towards you. He crawled into the tent as well, his eyes giving you the hottest stare. 

 

You got up on your elbows, but that's as far as you got. He came closer until his hands were on either side of your arms, his legs straddling yours. 

 

No words were said. He just leaned down and kissed you. Slowly, like sipping a fine whiskey, he tasted your lips, your cheek, your neck. One hand reached up to brush the hair from your face. 

 

“Unbutton your shirt, sweetheart.”

 

You lay back down and unbuttoned your shirt while he watched. Your chemise was thin, almost translucent underneath, and Arthur groaned, seeing your hard nipples peaking through the fabric. 

 

He dipped his head down and took one of your nipples between his teeth. His mouth wet the fabric as he nibbled and pulled with his lips. Lord, nothing felt better than this. Lowering himself on his elbows, he cupped your breasts and massaged them, his big hands enclosing them with warmth. He thumbed your sensitive peaks while watching you gasp and sigh. 

 

Then he pulled back, his hands tracing the curves of your body until they were hovering over the buttons of your breeches.

 

“May I?”

 

You nodded, unable to speak. He started unbuttoning your breeches, and you lifted your hips as he slid them off of you, taking your drawers along with them. You felt exposed down there and you squeezed your legs together. Arthur gently touched your thighs and spread your legs, and you quivered under his touch.

 

He caressed your inner thighs, then with one hand reaching out to hold yours, he stroked your slit, seeming pleased to find you wet. He leaned over you so he could look you in the eyes and watch your reaction as he slipped a finger inside of you. 

 

You gasped. It was a strange feeling, and you twitched away from his touch. He squeezed your hand. 

 

“Want me to stop?”

 

“No,” you said, willing yourself to stay still. “Just a new feeling, that’s all.” 

 

“You never, uh, touched yourself?”

 

You looked away, feeling a bit ashamed of your inexperience. “Never felt the urge to, I guess.”

 

He moved his finger to play with your folds, and brushed your clit. Your breath caught, your body tensed, and you whimpered at the sensation. 

 

“Give me your other hand.”

 

You did, and he guided your fingers, letting you explore your own pleasure, while he slipped two fingers in and out of you.

 

“That’s it, do whatever feels good,” he murmured. 

 

He guided your hand that he was holding to your breast, then palmed your other one, pinching your nipple and teasing it over and over. You followed his motions, sending jolts of pleasure through your body. It was almost too much, as pressure built up in your body and you writhed uncontrollably underneath him. 

 

“Ride that feelin’, baby girl.”

 

Your breath rushed out of you in a series of hard gasps and moans as you came, waves of bliss crashing through your body. Convulsing with each thrust of his fingers, you felt your blood pulse, feeling so alive in that moment. 

 

Arthur slowly lifted himself off you, kissing you on the forehead as he got up. “We'll clean up in the mornin’,” he said, as he started to crawl out of the tent. 

 

“Stay?” 

 

You had asked it innocently. But when he turned to look at you, realization hit you like a slap in the face. He was controlling himself, to teach you slowly, to not overwhelm you. And you damn near undid him. “You don't have to,” you quickly added. 

 

Arthur gave you a wry grin. “Tomorrow night, sweetheart. Not tonight.” He turned back and left the tent to his bed roll outside. “Put your clothes back on, just in case we gotta get up in a hurry,” he called back to you.

 

You did as he asked; never knew when bandits could be sneaking around, even though you two were out in the middle of the forest. 

 

You fell asleep quickly, feeling sated and happy. 

 

***

 

_ I don't want to rush. She's new to all this. Feel almost bad, keeping her to myself. But I don't want to let her go. Not to anyone.  _

 

***

 

You woke up, washed up in the river nearby, and helped Arthur pack up while he took his turn in the river. Neither of you had said anything about last night. It had been amazing, new, wonderful. You also realized that you didn’t want to do anything like that with anyone else. You weren’t so naive that you didn’t understand what was happening to you.

 

Your heart irrevocably belonged to Arthur. And there was nothing you could do about it.

 

As to whether he felt the same way, you weren’t sure. He had always been helpful and protective of you ever since you joined the gang. But he seemed that way around all the women in camp, so it didn’t seem like anything special. Spacing out while you put away everything, you didn’t notice when Arthur had come back, clean and ready to continue hunting.

 

“You alright?”

 

You looked at him and nodded automatically. He took a few steps closer to you and brushed some loose strands of your hair, tucking them behind your ear.

 

“Was last night too much? Should we stop?”

 

“No!” you said, almost desperately. “It was...good. Really good, actually,” you added, your face heating at the memory.

 

Arthur tipped your chin up to meet his eyes. “Alright then. I’ll teach you more tonight. If you’re ready.”

 

You nodded.

 

“Okay.” He stepped back from you. “Let’s get that elk,” he said as he went to his horse. You quickly followed suit.

 

***

 

The day went by quickly, with a few hours between elk sightings. But as the sun started to set, the two of you found the elk herd drinking at a pond, and this time, whether it was by luck or your instincts guiding you to walk around the hill at a different direction, you came across the big elk that had eluded you since day one, close enough to actually take a good shot. Arthur passed you the rolling block rifle.

 

“You do it. Just make sure you hit it in the head. One shot to kill.”

 

You nodded, took his rifle, and snuck as close as you dared. Kneeling on the ground, you brought up the scope and aimed, taking a deep breath. You let your breath out slowly, and shot on empty lungs.

 

Through the scope, you saw the elk take a hit in the shoulder. It reared back and staggered. A second shot got it square in the head and it fell; you looked over at Arthur, who was a bit further from you, with his own rifle. He looked over at you, and shrugged.

 

“I got you covered,” he said. You smiled; you didn’t think you could get it in the head, but he had at least given you the chance to try.

 

Walking down the hill, you walked closely with Arthur, feeling a bittersweet tug in your heart. While the two of you quickly got to work skinning, quartering, and hanging the elk meat to let it cool, you tried not to think of going back to camp. Tomorrow, the two of you could return with a bunch of meat and return to the daily grind. This trip would be over and the lessons he had been teaching you these nights would end.

 

When the two of you had finished, you both cleaned up in the pond and set up camp. You were shaking with anticipation. You didn’t really know what to expect, but you knew that after tonight, everything would change. Arthur noticed your unsteady hands as you tried to tie the knots for the tent.

 

“You don’t have to do this,” he said. “If you ain’t ready—”

 

“I’m ready,” you said, cutting him off. “If you don’t want to, tell me straight. Don’t use me as an excuse.”

 

He walked over to you and took over tying the knots as you let your arms fall to your sides limply. He said nothing for a few moments, and you watched him tie the knots with an expertise of years of outdoor living. When he finished, he sighed and looked at you. 

 

“I just think maybe you should save this last lesson for someone you love.”

 

You stepped closer to him and cradled his face in your hands. He leaned into your touch and his eyes had a soft warmth, imperceptible to anyone but you.

 

“I am, Arthur. That’s why I want it to be you.”

 

The shock in his eyes almost made you laugh, if it wasn’t followed by a hug so tight that you lost your breath.

 

“Oh, sweetheart,” he whispered in your ear as he cradled the back of your head. “Why did you fall for an old bastard like me?”

 

“I fell in love with the best man, the best friend I could ever ask for.”

 

Arthur pulled back and pressed his forehead against yours. He didn’t have to say anything. The look in his eyes was enough. You kissed him, and he kissed back with such an intense passion that if the whole world fell away, you wouldn’t notice anything but the movement of his lips against yours.

 

As the sun set over the horizon, with his arms wrapped around you, Arthur pulled back from your lips and sighed. “Darlin’, there’s no goin’ back after this.”

 

“I know. I’m all yours.”

 

He groaned with desire and kissed you again, his hands exploring your body. You followed his lead, splaying your hands out on his chest, feeling the hard muscle beneath the fabric and wanting to touch his skin. You reached up and started unbuttoning his shirt.

 

“Eager little thing, ain’tcha?” he said lowly as he let go of you long enough to take off his gun belt. “Get in the tent,” he ordered. You did as he bade, crawling into the tent, peeling off your boots. He followed suit, and soon he was tugging you onto his lap, pulling your shirt out of your breeches so he could slip his hands underneath to rub your back. You ground your hips against his, and he nibbled your earlobe.

 

“Take your clothes off,” he whispered in your ear. You sat back and started unbuttoning your shirt, letting the fabric slide slowly off your shoulders as he watched, the heat in his eyes flaring up as you got up on your knees and undid the buttons of your breeches. His hands were at your hips, helping you slide them down your thighs, his fingers skimming your skin on the way down. Then he held you in his arms and leaned back, taking you with him so you ended up on top of him. You managed to get the rest of your clothes off while on top of him, as he kissed and nibbled whatever skin he could reach. 

 

He rolled you over, and sat up on his knees, admiring you. Looking away and blushing, you felt his hand cupping your chin and turning you back to him.

 

“Let me look at you,” he said. “All of you.” You kept eye contact with him, and felt your face burn. Then he started taking off his clothes, and all of your embarrassment at being naked disappeared as you saw all of him revealed to you.

 

Arthur was magnificent, statuesque, and breath-taking. He was everything you imagined a real man would be. And when he leaned down to cage you in his arms and you felt his whole body against yours, you almost fainted, your poor heart unable to take so much man all at once.

 

“You alright, darlin’?” Arthur asked, giving you a kiss on the nose.

 

You couldn’t speak. You just looked at him, an adoring look in your eyes, and he looked away shyly with a wry grin.

 

“Don’t look at me like that,” he mumbled as he buried his face in your shoulder.

 

“Like what?”

 

“Like I’m your whole world.”

 

You giggled. “I love you, of course you’re my world.”

 

He lifted his head back up to nuzzle your nose with his. “And you’re mine.”

 

You reached down between the two of you and caressed his manhood, and he moaned your name in supplication. He lifted himself up again, wrapping his arms around you so you were sitting up with him.

 

He wrapped his hand around yours that was still on his hard member, and started teaching you how to please him. As your thumb caressed the head of him, you watched his eyes flutter shut and his breaths shudder as he let go of your hand and dug his hands into your hair. He kissed you while you stroked him, and his hands wandered down to play with your breasts, thumbing your nipples and swallowing your whimpers.

 

Then he took your hand off him and gently lay you back down. His hands spread your legs and caressed your thighs when your breathing quickened. 

 

“Easy there, baby girl.”

 

You swallowed. You could barely get your hand around him, and now he was going to… going to… 

 

Your mind blanked.

 

You felt Arthur’s lips on your forehead, on your temple, on your cheek, on your ear. His voice brought you back. “Listen to me.”

 

You focused on him. His eyes had darkened, his demeanor changed. The tone of his voice was commanding.

 

“You ain't never gonna be with another man,” he stated with a certainty that was final. 

 

“Yes sir,” you answered. He twitched slightly when you said it, and the heat in his eyes grew. 

 

He held your chin firmly. “Say that again,” he rumbled. 

 

“Yes sir.”

 

“‘Atta girl,” he murmured. “I'll take good care of you, I promise.”

 

He slipped one finger inside of you, then another, after he felt how wet you were. He stretched you, his thumb rubbing your clit until you were trembling with how close you were. When he slipped a third finger inside of you, you gripped his arms and gasped.

 

“Tell me what you feel.”

 

“So... so good…” Your muscles clenched around his fingers, and he hissed.

 

“You’re killin’ my patience.”

 

You spread your legs wider in response, earning a growl of hunger from deep in his throat. He pulled his fingers out of you and stroked his cock before he leaned forward and nudged your opening.

 

“You tell me if it hurts, and I’ll stop.”

 

You nodded.

 

Oh lord, he was big. He pushed inside of you, and you felt like he was splitting you in two, but not in a bad way. You choked out a cry, and he immediately stilled.

 

“Keep going, please,” you begged. You wanted more of this delicious invasion. You wanted him to take you and make you his woman. He certainly would be the only man for you.

 

He kept his eyes on you as he continued filling you up, until he was all the way inside of you. He rolled his hips a little, to see how you felt. When you rolled your hips in return, he lowered his body to rest on yours, supporting most of his weight on his arms as he started to move, a slow, hypnotic rhythm that had you moaning his name.

 

“Feelin’ good?”

 

You nodded.

 

“You ready for another lesson?”

 

“Huh?” you said between breaths, confused.

 

His eyes glittered with lust. “Somethin’ I think you’ll like.”

 

“I’m ready,” you said eagerly.

 

He lifted up just enough to grab your hips. “Wrap your limbs around me,” he ordered. You immediately wrapped your arms and legs around him.

 

Then he thrust into you from this different angle, and you lost it. You came around him, spasming and crying out as he started taking you with abandon, his pace speeding up as your climax ended, overstimulated and digging your fingers into his back. Your cries were strangled and breathy, as he made you into a whimpering and writhing mess under him. It only turned him on more as he quickened his pace, pounding into you, the sounds of flesh and both of your fast, heavy breaths filling the air.

 

“One last lesson,” he breathed. “Lie still.”

 

You stayed still as he pulled out of you and straddled your body, his cock pointed straight at your breasts. 

 

“Stroke me.”

 

You did, and he held your other hand, squeezing it and moaning your name as he came all over you. He caught his breath, looking at you with a satisfied smile. He reached down and touched your face so tenderly that you almost cried.

 

“Beautiful,” he mumbled as he rolled off you and grabbed a kerchief to clean you up. Then he pulled you close and wrapped both of you up under the blanket.

 

He continued to nuzzle and kiss you until you fell into a deep slumber, the sound of his heartbeat the perfect lullaby.

 

***

 

_ The sun rises and sets on her smile. I’ve never loved so hard and so quickly, but have it feel so right. And to have her love in return? A dream. She’s an angel. She’s  _ _ MY _ _ angel. _

 

***

 

The next morning, you woke up exquisitely sore, but happy. You felt Arthur next to you, still asleep, and last night replayed in your head, making you feel excited all over again. You reached down, curious, and found him to be half-hard. Exploring the feel of him in your hand, you didn’t notice when he opened his eyes to watch you until he spoke.

 

“Damn, baby girl, I taught you well.”

 

You laughed and climbed on top of him, sliding yourself against his now fully hard cock. “I learned from the best.” You leaned down to kiss him as you lifted yourself and took him inside again. 

 

“I hope every morning is like this,” he said, his voice rough with sleep. The two of you made slow, tender love as the light from the sunrise slipped into tent, and you couldn’t think of a better way to start the day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was going to be only 3 chapters, but I decided to drag it out to increase that delicious UST… MWAHAHAHA. Hope you enjoyed it! Please leave me comments, even if it's just one word, they feed my writing SOUL.


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